Actions

Denver ranks near bottom in cell network service

Denver ranks near the bottom of 125 cities surveyed for mobile network performance. That's according to a survey by RootMetrics, which measured overall performance, reliability, speed, data, call and text.

When asked why Denver lags behind most of the 125 cities surveyed, Bobby Coleman, district sales manager for Sprint, said the overall system is not built up like it is in other cities.

Coleman said it's all about spectrum.

"Think of it like a highway," he said. "Spectrum gives you the ability to have lots of people using their phone when they need to, vs. being in rush hour all the time."

Coleman told Denver7 that Sprint has been working to expand its spectrum and that the investment is paying off.

"A year ago, we ranked last in network speed (among the major carriers in Denver.) This year, we're number one in network speed. We also tied for number one in text and reliability."

Coleman said the company's new app, Sprint Zone, allows customers to keep track of problem areas in the network and to share it with the company.

"We're able to hone in and actually fix the network where the customers are," he said.

Verizon spokeswoman Meagan Dorsch said customer demand for Wireless voice and data service is growing rapidly.

In in emailed statement to Denver7, Dorsch said demand is growing between 25 to 50 percent a year.

"Verizon continues to increase network capacity to stay ahead of that demand," she said. "We have a relentless commitment to provide our customers with the most reliable network possible in Denver and across the U.S."

Dorsch said Verizon plans to continue enhancing its network in Denver and across Colorado by deploying new technology such as distributed antenna systems and expanding XLTE coverage, which doubles 4G LTE network bandwidth in cities nationwide, with faster peak speeds and greater capacity than before.

A recent study published by Cisco predicts even greater future demand.

The study forecasts that mobile data traffic will grow 8-fold from 2015 to 2020, a compound annual growth rate of 53%.